At one meeting, an older man asked whether she planned to make a career out of being "the girl with the locked combine." Hollis looked at him and smiled politely. "No. I plan to make a career out of farming."
He laughed, uncertain whether she was joking. She turned back to the presentation. She did not want a lifetime of interviews about one terrible harvest any more than she wanted to forget what it had taught her. The event had given her an opportunity to ask important questions about equipment ownership, service contracts, and the risk of administrative restrictions during time-sensitive farm operations. But she wanted those questions to lead somewhere useful, not simply make her recognizable at the grocery store.
With Mara's help, she began hosting a small discussion group for farmers who wanted to understand the documents attached to their equipment. The meetings were not anti-technology rallies. They were practical evenings where people brought contracts, service estimates, and questions about repair records. An independent mechanic explained diagnostic limitations. A lender described what a security interest actually meant. An agricultural extension specialist discussed planning for equipment failure during narrow weather windows. Mara warned that every agreement differed and encouraged attendees to seek professional advice rather than treat a neighbor's situation as universal law.
Hollis spoke only briefly at the first meeting. She told the group how she had asked for the contract provision authorizing the hold, how long it took to receive a meaningful response, and why preserving documents mattered. She showed them a blank version of the log she now kept for every service visit: date, technician, machine number, problem reported, work authorized, work completed, parts used, and written follow-up. She also showed a sample emergency harvest plan based on Roland's field map. The point was not to make everyone suspicious. It was to make them prepared.
A middle-aged farmer raised his hand. "What if your dealer is fair and you don't have problems?"
"Then build a good relationship with them," Hollis answered. "Tell them what you need, pay legitimate bills, and keep records so neither side has to guess later. The people who do honest work deserve to be treated honestly too."
Lena, sitting near the front, nodded. Garnet was in the back row. He had been nervous about attending, but Hollis had told him the event was for everyone who wanted to learn from what happened. When the meeting ended,